Mistake After Mistake
by Melody Canta
Summary: What would have happened if Bella had died when Tyler's van went for her? What if Edward hadn't saved her? Where would Twilight be?
1. How Could I?

**Chapter 1 – How Could I?**

**Edward-**

I exhaled deeply. The tedium of moving was one that I would gladly trade in for humanity. If only we could stay in one place. However, this time was my requisite. The images that had happened only a few days earlier had been ones that kept coming to the dark of my closed eyelids, as if they were ingrained in them. I couldn't escape it. Bella Swan was dead.

I felt terrible. Awful. I _could_ have saved her. I really should have. However, the decision was much too weighted. I had to pick her or my family. Let her be crushed by a van and get all of us killed by the Volturi, or let her die and we would live peacefully, even happily. I'd chosen my family over Bella Swan.

"Edward," Alice called gently, shaking me from my moping. My favorite sister's grin was gone; it had been since Bella's death. I hadn't asked whether it was because she'd lost a friend that she'd never had or whether she was just being solemn for me. "Esme wants to know if you're hunting tonight."

Right. Despite every emotion that I felt, I was still a vampire. I was still expected to act normally and fit in with the humans. I'd had my few days to wallow. Now was the time to put on a new façade.

"Yeah, I'll hunt tonight. It's her, Carlisle, and you, right?" I didn't think I could survive being around Jasper or Rosalie, their superior attitudes seeming much too cheerful for the event that had just happened. Both had thought that we should have just killed Bella. Well, they'd just gotten their way. I hoped they were happy.

"Mhmm. You know, maybe you should _try_ talking to Emmett. He'd be more sympathetic than Rose." She couldn't truly say anything bad about Jasper. They were in love, for heaven's sake. They had more than I did, anyways.

"Maybe," I mumbled, knowing that I most likely wouldn't. Emmett would just tell Rose, and then she'd feel even more superior. Rosalie's ego was the last person's that I wanted to inflate. So, I'd suffer in peace.

"You know, Edward . . . If you don't want to speak to Emmett, you could at least talk to me, or even Carlisle. Esme would love to listen to you too." She was grasping at straws. But, this was why I liked Alice. I wound an arm around her waist in a brotherly way, and she wrapped her arms around me. "You don't have to endure this alone."

Wrong. I did have to endure this alone. Because I was the person who had the decision. I was the person who had allowed Bella to die. I couldn't even take comfort in the fact that I hadn't gone for her throat after her blood had been spilled. Alice had helped, of course. But I'd held my breath. I had more self-control than I'd realized. However, I couldn't take too much pride in that.

"Thanks, Alice, but I think I'd rather survive this alone." I half-smiled. "Besides, it's my fault that you're stuck in this hellhole called Eugene." Yes, Eugene, Oregon was now our new home. Rainy, dreary, and completely . . . boring. A town of hippies. There was no other way to explain it. We would fit in here, being normal. Or maybe we wouldn't. Oh well.

She laughed her usual trilling laugh, the first time I'd heard the sound in the last three days. "I think I might like it here. Next to the Willamette River, it's a good place to hunt . . . fish." She giggled. Hunting fish seemed like a new challenge. We'd never really considered it.

I laughed, but the sound was hollow. "Thanks, but no thanks. I think I'll stick to the elk."

She shrugged. "Suit yourself. Get ready; tomorrow we enroll at North Eugene High School. Home of the Highlanders," she said, trying to put enthusiasm in her voice and failing miserably. "And the worst football team on Earth," she added under her breath.

"Best basketball team in the league though," Emmett mentioned, coming over to where we stood. He was Alice's opposite, large and bulky instead of small and petite. He ran a hand through his curly dark hair, mussing Alice's black hair in the same movement. "Anyways, Esme and Carlisle want you to hurry up. They're thirsty."

I stood from my position lounging against the house. Alice disentangled her arms from my chest, grinning suddenly. "Got it. See you, Em," I bade farewell as we left. Believe it or not, when I smiled at Esme and Carlisle, my "adopted" mother and father, my grin was more hopeful than it had been all week.

* * *

**Embry-**

I groaned as Paul and Seth continued to argue in the front seat. Paul was winning, although I couldn't have told you what the argument was about. Moving from First Beach in La Push to Eugene, Oregon seemed like more of a chore than anything. My mom had insisted though, saying that it was good to move around, see a little bit more of the world.

Right.

However, I still found myself moving to Eugene, despite my better judgment. Paul and Seth were coming with me, Seth's reasoning being that he wanted to get away from Leah for a bit (which I couldn't blame her for); Paul's being a mystery still. He tried to pass it off as his mom worrying about me (I'd never met his mom, but the way he explained this, it was like I was her long-lost child), but I knew better. I wasn't an idiot.

Despite all of this, I was riding in a cramped little car, listening more to their argument than the radio. I fished the tiny MP3 player that Jacob and Quil had bought me as a gift. It was filled with all of our favorites; ACDC, Guns N Roses, Golden Earring, etc. I loved it. However, the little thing's volume wouldn't go up high enough to drown out Paul and Seth.

"We're here!" Seth finally called out, and I sighed in relief. A two-and-a-half hour car trip was too long with them in the car. We turned onto our exit, and Paul deftly maneuvered the car to the small house that the three of us (with my mom) now shared. I groaned. School would start tomorrow. Time to fill out the paperwork that I'd accidentally (on purpose) procrastinated.

* * *

**Ilina –**

"No way!" I exclaimed, holding the phone closer to my ear as my dear friend Beki explained to me all about the things that she and our friend Sarah had done while I'd been at work.

"You so should have been there! It was so hilarious!" she exclaimed. "Hey, I can't remember. What was our homework for Ms. Downey's class?" she asked, changing the subject abruptly.

"We had Book X in the Odyssey, hun," I reminded her with a sigh. Despite the fact that I'd just told her, she'd be cramming the moment that I saw her in the morning. That was just Beki.

"Alright. I'm gonna go do that. Talk to you tomorrow, Ilina."

"Love you, hun," I said as I hung up. I figured that I'd go to sleep soon. I'd already read the Odyssey totally through. I'd just have to survive tomorrow.

* * *

**A/N: Yay! My second fanfic, up and running! Yeah, it's a unique idea, but I like unique ideas, as you could see if you look at my FFX-2 fanfic. Then again, some of you might be coming from there! **

**DISCLAIMER: None of the Twilight characters belong to me. They're all property of a wonderful author named Stephenie Meyer. However, Ilina is my character, as is Beki, Sarah, and Ms. Downey. Anyone who was not in Twilight is my character. No stealing, please.**

**So, read it and review?**


	2. Over and Over Again

Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Over And Over Again**

**Ilina -**

I waited impatiently for Beki to arrive outside the school, tapping my foot to the song stuck in my head. It just happened to be 'No Tricks' by Koda Kumi, one of my favorite songs, and I was staring down at the pavement as if I were expecting it to move or do something interesting.

"Hey Ilina!" Sarah's voice broke through my reverie, and I grinned as I turned to see her getting out of her blue car. The girl had a license. She had a car. She had car insurance. Needless to say, I was jealous.

"Hey Sarah!" I called back, just as enthusiastically. She crossed the street between the student parking spots and the front lawn of North Eugene High School before I wrapped her up in an embrace. She hugged me back, apparently cheerful this morning, before pulling away and looking at me seriously in the face.

"Beki's late again, isn't she?"

I grinned. "Uh huh."

"That girl has the worst attendance record that I've _ever_ seen!" Sarah complained as the silver car that I recognized as Beki's dad's pulled into the visitor's parking lot, across the lawn from the student one.

"There she is," I pointed as I hid my laughter. It was just like Sarah to exaggerate things.

Beki walked across the sidewalk that spanned the lawn, avoiding the dew-endowed grass. Beki was tall and thin, with red hair that was curlier than any that I'd ever seen. She kept it slicked back in a short ponytail, although it was just as unruly as mine. She'd end up redoing that messy hairstyle before the end of first period. Like I'd predicted, she had her nose buried in the Odyssey, reading so intently that she almost ran into Joey, who was walking in front of her, engrossed in a conversation with Marissa. I waved to both of them before Sarah and I joined our friend. "Morning, Beki. Cramming again?" I teased.

"Shut up," she laughed, elbowing me before I could do anything about it. It was gentle enough to not cause pain though, which was a good thing. I bruised pretty easily, and that was one bruise that I didn't need to explain. Sarah, on Beki's other side, closed the book. Her face was angelic as she grinned at Beki, fluttering her eyelashes that matched her coffee-colored hair. Beneath those pale eyelids was a pair of eyes that matched her hair almost perfectly. She had luck.

I was almost in between Beki and Sarah with my looks. I had porcelain skin, even paler than Beki's somehow, and had jet-black hair. While my eyes were blue, although it wasn't a deep-color-of-the-ocean kind of blue. They were the blue-almost-transparent-slash-white kind of blue (Sarah called it periwinkle. I just told her that she liked the word. She couldn't fight with that logic). I was small and short, everything about me being small with the exception of my eyes. That was what happened when you had a Japanese mother and a European father. Things seemed disproportionate on my body.

"Hey, who're they?" Sarah asked, pointing at the group of people that were walking up to the school after getting out of a . . . Aston Martin Vanquish?

* * *

**Edward – **

I ignored the stunned stares of my new classmates as I slammed the driver's door shut on my Aston Martin Vanquish. It was easily the most expensive car there. It was easily the handsomest car there. It was arguably the handsomest car in history, but we weren't going there. I slung my backpack over my shoulder, scanning the faces of the teenagers gathered around. Order had resumed.

Taking the paperwork that Alice handed me, I touched the edge of the top sheet to my bottom lip, making every movement seem absentminded. I memorized mental voices, able to hear the tenor of every student's thoughts now. I groaned, wanting to bury my head in the nearest bush, as some people took notice of me and my siblings. Wasn't it considered rude to stare anymore?

It was mildly difficult to resist the scent of the human blood dancing around me like I was human. I hadn't been around humans for a couple days. However, I refused to give in, and besides, my throat wasn't burning. Not like it had been when Bella had . . . I couldn't finish the rest of that thought.

Stopping by the nearest humans, a group of three girls that were staring at my car still (I found that interesting. Girls that were stunned by cars? Was Eugene that much different from all of the other cities in the world?), I looked at the tallest one. She was good-looking, her red hair making my eyebrows rise. I doubted she was from Eugene originally, but then again, stranger things had happened. "Excuse me?" I asked, flawlessly polite.

All three girls turned to me now, paying attention. "Oh? What is it?" the one I'd asked responded, just as polite. The brown-haired one was staring at me distrustfully (Was this because of her subconscious warnings, or did she know something? Her mind was focused on my car. I didn't know what to make of this), while the smallest one, the one with the darkest hair, gave me a cursory glance, and then went back to staring at my vehicle.

"Can you tell me where the office is? My brothers and sisters and I need to go there."

The littlest one looked up at me again, taking a bit more interest now that I'd said something of importance. "I can take you there. I have to go see Sally this morning anyways." Whoever Sally was, it was beyond my comprehension. No one's minds were giving any indication. By now, I was starting to regret asking. Sure, it was good to fit in (It would have looked the slightest bit odd if we'd somehow known where the office was already), but the way that the middle-sized one was staring at me was like she knew my secret. It was disconcerting, to say the least.

"Thank you."

"Not a problem," she answered, skirting around me before beckoning me with a single finger. I tilted my head inconspicuously at my relatives, and they followed the girl. If she realized that she had quite an audience now, she made no response. Every person's eyes were on her as she led us around the corner to the easily-distinguished office. "Here you go," she said, not affected by our wordlessness. She walked over to the secretary, leaning over the counter. "Is Sally in yet?"

Through the secretary's head, I could see that Sally was the principal at one of the small schools. It was the interesting thing about North Eugene High School. They went off of the small schools grant, an idea that separated a large school into three smaller schools. I'd chosen the International High School, the only one of us who had. Alice and Emmett were in the School of the Arts, and Rosalie and Jasper had chosen the School of IDEAS. IDEAS stood for something, but I wasn't really interested in that. Rose and Jazz could tell me later.

"Not quite yet." The secretary's bleached blond head popped up to examine us intently. "New students?" she asked.

The girl that had been our guide shrugged. "Ask them. I've got to run to class. I don't have a quarter." And with that cryptic remark, she turned. Almost as if she'd forgotten that it was there, she tripped over the floor trim, and a pain seared in my heart.

* * *

**Embry –**

"Pauuuuul!" I cried, leaping out of bed. The alarm clock hadn't woken me; Seth had. Thank God for someone who was a morning person.

Paul groaned, rolling over. The walls were paper thin, we'd found out last night, and I immediately called again and again until I heard the ruffle of sheets. "Whatdoyawant?" he asked, not quite awake enough yet to form real sentences.

"We're late for school!" Seth's squeaky voice was like nails on a chalkboard in the mornings.

Paul must have glanced at his alarm clock. "It's only 9:30," he mumbled.

"School started at 7:50!"

It took Paul a second. "Damn it," he mumbled.

* * *

**A/N: Yup! Chapter 2 is already up! I ended up having time tonight! Talk about AWESOMEEEEEEEEEEEEE! **

**I love writing about the werewolves. They're so funny. **

**So, read and review? **


	3. Leaving the Past Behind

**Chapter 3 – Leaving Behind the Past**

**Embry –**

My irritation with Paul taking so long to get dressed instantly vanished when we waited for him. I still hadn't fully filled out that paperwork for the school, so while he was dressing, I was writing down personal information in meticulously perfect handwriting, so that the office could read it. Seth laughed at me; I really didn't care. If I didn't spend this much time writing it down, no one would be able to read it, and I would have to write it over again.

My mom was already gone for work, a small travel agency having needed a secretary. She'd written a note before she'd left, telling all of us to have a wonderful time at school and to not worry about walking home; she'd call me on my cell phone, which was sitting next to the note. I sighed in relief. There went worrying about walking home, however, walking to school still seemed like quite a chore.

I groaned and went back to my paperwork. Paul could drive us.

That plan failed when I saw the fees and how you needed a pass for the student parking lot. That didn't bother Paul, however. He was pulling on a jean jacket and grabbing breakfast at the same time. "I'll just park in the parent parking lot. Not a problem."

Seth opened his mouth to argue, but I clamped my hand down before he could say anything. You just didn't argue with Paul.

* * *

**Edward – **

I got my schedule within minutes, having to ignore the thoughts of all of the secretaries in the office, then was sent to another office; the International Small School's office. I internally groaned. More secretaries.

I met Sally, the principal of IHS, and she was a kind enough lady. Her thoughts toward me were more motherly than her younger assistants', and oddly enough, I seemed comfortable with her. I sighed. I was not a typical vampire. Feeling at home at a high school. I couldn't have been a real vampire.

"Your first class is with Diane Downey. This is a Eurasian History class, designed to set you up for your next two years of International Baccalaureate Literature classes. You'll be getting college credit for both of them, so you can skip a few years of college."

Great. Just what I needed. Fewer years in college.

She led me to the door of Ms. Downey's literature class, opening the door quietly and ushering me inside. I walked forward to the older woman at the desk, her thoughts indicating that the younger woman teaching in the front of the class was her student teacher. "Excuse me?"

She didn't even look up. "Put a quarter in the jar and sit at your seat."

Quarter. That's what the girl who had guided us had meant. Tardies for Darfur, the program that made you pay a quarter every time you were late to class. I had a feeling that jar was pretty full, even before picking it up. However, I ignored the thoughts that kept cropping up about it and what it would be going to, and asked, "Might you be Ms. Downey? I'm a new student here, you see, and-"

She didn't even let me finish. "Oh, I'm so sorry! No, forget about the quarter thing! Ms. Yamada?" she asked, continuing when the student teacher stopped her lecture about the Odyssey and turned her whole attention to us. "This is a new student. Maybe he should introduce himself?"

With a quick glance over the class, I recognized a couple people, including the red-haired girl I'd spoken to earlier and the girl who had led my siblings and me to the main office. However, the idea of introducing myself to an entire class seemed less than appetizing to me. "Ms. Downey-" I started, but Ms. Yamada cut me off.

"Yes, of course. Please, step to the front of the classroom and tell us who you are."

I groaned, too softly for any of the humans to hear. Passing through the thin aisle between the desks, I crossed to the front of the room. 'I am Edward Cullen. I'm a vampire. Have fun with the rest of your lives,' was what I really wanted to say, but I had a feeling that wouldn't cut it. "My name is Edward Cullen. I just moved from Forks, Washington."

A girl near the back sniffled a bit. The rest of the class chorused "Hello Edward," lazily. I had the feeling they'd done this before.

"Please, take a seat next to Ilina in the back," Ms. Yamada invited, and so I took the chair. Ilina just happened to be the girl who had led us to the office. She hardly seemed to notice me until I sat down.

"Hello," she said invitingly. She gave a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, but the intent was clear. I was glad I finally had a face to match my memory of her.

"Hello. I'm Edward. Thank you for earlier." Usually, I would have just ignored her, but the fact that she'd helped us out justified talking to her in my mind.

"I'm Ilina. It's not a problem. I just wish I'd known you were coming to Downey's class. I would have brought you here too."

I smiled the slightest bit; my smile was just as pathetic as hers had been. "It's not your fault. I didn't know either. Oh, and Sally's here now. She's in the IHS office," I added helpfully.

She grinned. "Thanks. I'll talk to her during third. Hey, can I see your schedule?"

I searched her mind for her intent. Usually, strangers avoided us. She seemed to be going out of her way to help me. Her intent was pure. With a bit of resignation, I handed over my schedule. She raised her eyebrows as she read it. "You're taking Spanish Three already? Wow." She pursed her lips slightly. "And during second period as well. I have that with you, as well as Band . . . Wow. We have everything but fifth together."

I shuffled through her mind. During fifth I had Advanced Algebra (although I could go much higher, I'd asked for Advanced Algebra. I couldn't quite remember why now, but . . .) while she was suffering through a Bio/Chem. class. I could tell she could easily do the next step up in Science, but they couldn't schedule it. I had to feel sorry for her.

"Are the teachers observant?" I asked with curiosity as she handed me back my schedule.

She laughed. "I wish. Nope, you could get away with anything. For heaven's sake, you could probably kill someone with the attention they have, and they'd never know."

Wow. Disconcerting choice of words there.

"Good to know," I murmured. It was good to know. I'd have to tell Jazz, Alice, Rose, and Em later.

"Ilina!" Ms. Yamada interrupted our conversation. "Why was Odysseus and Kirke's relationship so misogynistic?"

"Because of the fact that Kirke was about to kill Odysseus, and once he outwitted her, using the help of the gods, of course, all she wanted was to sleep with him," she answered deftly.

Ms. Yamada nodded once, ending the conversation right there by standing over us while we worked on the worksheet that was being passed out.

* * *

**Ilina -**

I showed Edward to our second period, taking my seat on the complete opposite end of the room away from him and thought about what I'd heard and seen today.

Beki had said that Sarah wasn't fooled by this newcomer. He was different, she could tell. Sarah's cousin, Sam, had told her that she shouldn't trust people with Edward's description. She was going to call Sam tonight.

Then again, when I'd talked to Edward, alone, he'd seemed kind enough. He'd seemed trustworthy, and his siblings seemed normal enough. Then again, I didn't get paid to think about them either.

While I was pondering this, Edward was introducing himself in flawless Spanish, with the right amount of accent and stress on every word. This made me only the slightest bit curious; he could have taken Spanish back in . . . where was he from again? Forks, Washington? Sarah's cousin, Sam, lived about twenty minutes away from there, in La Push. Perhaps he knew Edward from somewhere.

The teachers seemed extra observant today, and so as I poured over my Spanish homework (an hour and a half early), I stayed quiet, speaking only with my thoughts. I didn't get called on; it was too big of a class for that. Edward had filled up the last empty seat.

Finally, the bell rang. I'd escort him to Band, where some of my closest friends were. They could tell me if I should trust him or not. "Ready to go?" I asked, even though he had already adroitly packed his things in his bag.

"Yes."

As we walked, I tried to make conversation. "So . . . what instrument do you play?"

He turned toward me, finally looking me fully in the eyes. I gasped. His eyes were a bright tawny color, the most beautiful eye color that I'd ever seen. I lost my train of thought for a minute, until he said, "Piano."

I smiled, trying to reorganize my thoughts. "I always wanted to play piano. I got to where I was alright at it, but I never really was any good. How long have you been playing?"

He gave a smile, like I was missing out on a joke. "Quite a few years now."

I nodded, trying to act like I understood.

"What do you play?" he asked genially.

"Flute and saxophone," I answered, just as amicably.

He nodded. "Two very worthy instruments. Ever played piccolo?"

I nodded. "I miss it, to tell you the truth. I played it for two years, but then . . . when I came to North, Bill, our band director, didn't have one, and I didn't have the money to buy one." I shrugged. It was no big deal. I'd save up for one after the Band Canada trip that was going on in May.

He looked interested. "Really? My sister, Alice, used to play piccolo, but she doesn't anymore. Perhaps you'd like hers? It's brand-new."

My jaw dropped. He was offering me a brand-new piccolo? I laughed nervously. "Perhaps you should check with her first."

He chuckled. "Perhaps." Again, I felt like I was missing out on another joke.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, here's Chapter 3! It's sort of a longer one, it was four pages long on Microsoft Word, which is generally longer than any of my other ones. I'm trying to be fair about what I update. Next is a FFX-2: AS, and then afterwords is another Twilight! Woot!**

**Yup, Edward's part in this chapter is extremely long. I thought his opinion was best in this chapter, since it's his first day in school. I won't just do Edward, Ilina, and Embry though. I'm thinking of doing Alice in the next chapter, so tell me what you think about that!**

**So, there's a cute little purple button down there that loves to be clicked . . . so do it! And make a Melody happy! Review!!**


	4. Talk About Strange

**Chapter 4 – Talk About Strange**

**Alice – **

I twirled my pencil around in my fingers gently, rolling my eyes at whoever was currently answering a question. Incorrectly, of course. My hands never dropped the pencil; perfect dexterity. I felt a slight twinge of annoyance with Edward. Eugene, Oregon seemed like a hellhole to me. Rose and Jazz weren't too pleased with him either. Emmett was the only one who seemed content with North Eugene High School.

"Alice?" Mr. Madden asked. I looked up compliantly. "Would you like to fill in the word?"

"Ambidextrous."

Mr. Madden nodded, turning his back to me again. I sighed slightly. The boy next to me looked at me with a little more curiosity than he would have if I weren't stunningly beautiful. I resisted the urge to glare back at him. My temper was not exactly the best today. I'd let Jasper tear him to pieces later.

A vision came to my sight, and I pondered over that. Interesting, to say the least. Eugene would not seem as boring anymore after this.

* * *

**Edward – **

Ilina and I walked into the band room quietly, or as quietly as one could with that extremely loud knob for the door. I held the door open for her, as gentlemanly as I could, before searching around with my eyes for the band director.

I was only taking this course because of Esme. She loved how I played my piano, and she wanted more pieces. You know, I could understand that; a hundred years of the same pieces had to be boring.

Bill Robbins was a middle-aged man, with a bald spot on the top of his head. He seemed nice enough, and his thoughts were relatively kind. I instinctively smiled as I walked up to him. "Mr. Robbins?"

He looked over to me. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion, trying to remember if he knew me or not. Obviously he didn't since I'd called him 'Mr. Robbins'. "You must be the new student."

I nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm Edward Cullen."

"What instrument do you play, Edward?" He was assuming trumpet. Did I really look like a trumpet sort of person? Don't answer that.

"Piano, sir."

His eyebrows came together again. "Please, call me Bill. How well do you play, Edward?"

"Fairly well, si--Bill. I've been playing since I was young." It felt weird to call a teacher by his first name. Blame it on my old-fashioned mind.

He nodded once. "Alright. Go sit down, we'll see how well you do today."

I walked over to the piano bench. It was a beautiful piano, no question about it. My stone hands lavished over the splendid keys, stroking each black and white key with the slightest amount of pressure.

Now that I was finished marveling over the instrument I was to play, I looked around for Ilina. Of course, she would be in one of the farthest seats away from me. She seemed engrossed in a conversation; I scanned her mind for the topic. Apparently it was about some audition that she and the girl on the end had auditioned for. Something called WIBC.

Bill tapped his baton on the large stand in front of him, and the talking ceased. Then, he began to conduct. And there was music.

* * *

**Ilina – **

Edward was good at piano, definitely. All of the flourishes with the melodies that we hadn't heard before were suddenly there, making the pieces more complex, more beautiful. Marina, Mallory, and I chatted about that busily between pieces. Everything just seemed prettier with the piano. Or maybe it was just the way that Edward played it.

Wind Ensemble ended early, so I walked over to Edward, who was playing a piece on the piano. He scooted over to the edge as I approached, and I took that as a sign to sit next to him. He took no notice of me, just continuing to play. He was extremely good.

After a moment, the music came to a poignant note, decrescendoing into its final chord. He looked at me with an expecting smile. "Hello."

"Hi," I said faintly, my mouth dry.

"You said you play?" He asked.

I nodded. "Only a little."

He wasn't going to let me get away with that. He waved his hands at the awaiting keys, his expression hopeful. I only inhaled and blew the air out loudly through my mouth, consenting. My hands quivered as they took their position. In comparison to his beautiful playing, anything that I played would sound like child's play.

I played a little bit of 'One Winged Angel' by Nobuo Uematsu, not a terribly hard piece. It sounded alright, just . . . pathetic. I finished on the F key, looking back at him with a passive expression on my face. "I told you I wasn't very good."

He shook his head. "Much better than I expected, with your description earlier."

"You're only saying that to be nice."

"No, of course not," he protested. An embarrassed smile broke onto my face just as the bell rang.

"Doing anything special for lunch?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Nope. Just hanging out with a few friends. What about you?"

He shook his head. "Probably going home." That same grin broke onto his face, that one like I was missing out on a joke again. My lips slipped into a pout before I realized it. I wanted to know the joke.

I shook my head, smoothing out my expression. "Okay, well, have fun with that. Do you need help finding Diaz's class? I can meet you in the Glass Lounge after lunch ends, if you'd like."

He looked like he was internally debating about something. "No, it's alright. But thank you," he finally said after a moment. I gave a gentle grin, and then nodded. He had his secrets, just as I had mine.

* * *

**A/N: Sort of a short chapter, but it's a transition chapter. There's an insight into Alice's mind, as mischevious and awesome as Alice is. I don't own One Winged Angel, but I wish I did. The song Edward was playing was going to be To Zanarkand, but I decided against it at the last moment. **

**For those of you who are wondering, the werewolves will be back in the next chapter. I didn't really want to do another chapter where they had a very little part. Beki and Sarah will be back as well.**

**Inspiration: A whole bunch of Nobuo Uematsu songs. **

**Wait for Chapter 5! Or, tell me what you thought of Chapter 4 with the cute little purple button down there!**


	5. Implications

**Chapter 5**

**Alice – **

I was waiting for Edward at the entrance to the Band Hall, a smug smile on my face. This was going to be fun.

Like I'd anticipated, he walked out with a girl. My vision had been right. He was going to be pissed.

There was nothing that really stood out on the girl except for her eyes – such large, colorful eyes for such a small body. They were very pretty, but disproportionate on such a thin, heart-shaped face. On the other hand, she was pale, even perhaps as pale as me. If Edward was going to let this one live, she'd have to have at least one make-over by me.

"Kill off one, only to be replaced by another," I hinted, my smug smile becoming more prominent on my face. It took him only seconds to understand that, but I was hiding his expression from the girl by introducing myself. "Hello. I'm Alice, Edward's brother."

She smiled. "I'm Ilina. It's nice to meet you."

I smiled back, still stalling for Edward to gain control of his reaction again. He had to be one of the worst actors ever. "So, perhaps you could show me to a class later?" I asked, still stalling for time.

"Of course! What class do you need?" She seemed more than eager to help.

"Mr. Rivera's. A girl showed me where it was, but I'm afraid that I'm terribly lost."

She nodded. "It's quite alright. Would you like shown now or later?"

Judging on Edward's reaction, it would have to be now. "Now, if you wouldn't mind."

"Not at all."

She led us through the cafeteria confidently, not even noticing the people seated at the tables. Every step or two I would recognize someone from an earlier class, but there were too many people to know them all. I focused on Ilina now.

She seemed nice enough, and eager to please. I was curious if she did this to all new students. I had to laugh. She'd found herself a boyfriend with this tour. I wondered if she'd ever considered that. Only Edward would know.

However, right now, he was still gaping like a fish.

She stopped in front of Rivera's door, flourishing her hands at it. "And this is Rivera's classroom. He's nice, so don't worry."

Finally, Edward had gotten his head back. "Thank you for doing this, Ilina."

She shook her head. "Not a problem. I'll . . . see you in Diaz's later."

My brother nodded. I smiled. Ilina nodded, and then walked away. I guess she assumed that we didn't need help finding the parking lot. Which, we didn't, so it was a good assumption. As we walked through the halls, I smiled. "So, I hope you like her. You're going to be around her for a while."

Edward growled under his breath. "Not if I can help this."

I placed my hands on my hips. "Edward, we just got here, and you can't spontaneously ignore her. See how well that did for Bella?" I know, I was hitting below the belt. But seriously, Edward had to find some courage. "Don't be scared. What is your fear anyways? That for once in your life, you'll be loved by someone who loves you in the same way?"

Edward growled again, this time a menacing sound. I looked at him for a second, and then shut up. I really didn't want to test his patience at a time where he was in shock. That might be a little dangerous.

* * *

**Seth – **

Alright, it had been a long morning, I had to admit. That didn't excuse Paul's rudeness to Embry though. Embry'd had to rewrite all of his paperwork again. We hadn't gotten into class until third period was almost over. "Geez, Paul! Get over it! It wasn't like you wanted to be in class anyways!" Embry was shouting. A scene was slowly forming around us.

"I didn't want to wait for you to rewrite your paperwork either!" Paul retorted hotly.

I seriously wanted this to stop. This was terrible, hearing them argue. However, nothing that I said would snap them out of it. "C'mon Paul!" I pleaded, tugging on the older Quileute's arm.

"No!" Paul ripped his arm from my feeble grip. I'd never realized that he was that strong. A weird spasm ripped through him suddenly, his fists clenched. That twitch seemed to make him control himself again. He took a deep breath, and then walked out to his car, slamming the door. I stood with Embry. Talk about weird.

"What was that all about?"

Embry shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine."

I sighed. "He had our lunch, didn't he?"

"I've got a 20 in my pocket. What do you want?" He held up his wallet, and sure enough, a twenty-dollar bill was wedged between two 1s.

"I want ramen."

He grinned. "I was thinking the same thing."

"It's decided then." I turned to the nearest girl. She had red curly hair, pulled back into a messy ponytail. "Can you tell us where to get some food?"

She nodded, her eyes flicking up to Embry as well. "You can either go to the a la carte in the school or you can go to the Albertson's. That's twenty minutes away though."

Embry shrugged. "Sounds like a la carte it is. Hey, I'm Embry."

"Beki." Her eyes, hidden behind glasses, dropped to the ground self-consciously.

"I'm Seth. Hey, we'll buy you something if you show us where the a la carte is," I offered.

She smiled gently. She had a pretty smile. "How about if I show you where it is for free?"

Embry laughed. "Even better." He was looking Beki up and down. I had to admit, she was very pretty. She didn't notice, however, as she was calling to the girl behind her. "Hey, Sarah? I'll meet you in the glass lounge later, 'kay? Tell Ilina where I am."

"Alright," the girl behind her agreed. I presumed that she was Sarah.

"Well, let's go then." Without any indication that he knew that he was passing through a crowd, Embry strolled through the throng of people confidently. Beki looked at me, and then followed.

I sighed and shook my head. What a day.

* * *

**Sarah – **

The first thing that registered in my mind when I arrived in the glass lounge was that Ilina had gotten there before me. Talk about an anomaly. The whole day was an anomaly. Beki talking to strangers, Ilina playing tour guide, even the new family that had come today. I didn't trust them. Not one bit.

Maybe it was because my cousin, Sam, had called me just an hour ago and when I'd described the new characters, he'd told me to stay as far away from them as possible. You know, that might be it. Or maybe it's that stare the bronze-haired one gave me earlier. It was like he'd been trying to read my mind. Talk about freaky.

And then the fact that he was driving an Aston Martin frickin' VANQUISH!! Such a GORGEOUS car! I could tell that the beauty hadn't been ignored by Ilina either. Beki, however, had sighed and shook her head at us car-fanatics. Well, if she can't appreciate a beautiful car, that's her loss.

Either way, it wasn't really bothering me . . . much.

"Hey Ils," I said, coming to sit next to her on the heater. Without asking, I took some of the goldfish from her bag. You'd have to understand the relationship between girls to understand why.

"Hey!" she welcomed eagerly, setting the bag between us so that I could steal more. "Where's Beki?"

"Escorting some new students. I think their names were something like . . . Seth and . . . Embry?" The names felt unfamiliar in my mouth.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "So many new students lately."

"I know!" I tried to say around a mouth of goldfish. It came out as mush, but Ilina knew what I was trying to say. I swallowed. "It's weird."

"It is October."

"Ah yes, the time of new students, fresh in the city of Eugene."

She giggled. "Well, I got to know the new students."

"The ones you played escort to this morning?"

"Uh huh. Well, only really one of them," she admitted, her rose-colored lips twitching ever so slightly.

"Which one?"

"The thinner one. You know, the driver of the Vanquish." Ah, I remembered him. The one who had stared at me like he was trying to read my mind.

"Hey, Ils? I talked to Sam . . . he wants us to stay away from them."

Ilina's face fell. I wished I could tell what her eyes were trying to communicate. Finally, she sighed. "I . . . I can't."

My eyebrows rose. "Hey, I know he's handsome, but you can't tell me you've fallen for him."

She shook her head. "Of course not. I just . . . I don't know. I want to know everything about him. He's . . . so interesting."

Oh wow, this was worse than I thought.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long! I got distracted by my other fanfic. It's coming along very nicely, as is this one.**

**So, what do you guys think? Tell me using that beautiful little purple button there! If you do, it'll explode with snacky happiness!**


	6. Do What You Will

**Chapter Six – Do What You Will**

**Edward – **

I was so angry. Actually, angry doesn't even begin to cover it. I was angry enough to rip out my hair and start screaming. However, since such a temper tantrum would just seem immature, I had to suppress it.

How was I supposed to have known though? How could have I known that after not saving Bella, another girl would come take her place? One that I had no reason to stay away from; not because she had tantalizing blood or she was a danger magnet. I didn't quite know what to do, and it was seriously bothering me. How could I keep both her and I safe? Without revealing my secret to her.

Of course, if Alice was right, she would know our secret. It wasn't as extreme as Bella's had been; she didn't see me changing Ilina into a vampire or anything. Nope, it was something as trivial as a kiss that was ruining my day.

Maybe it was because I could see it happening. After that small hint of what could be, my imagination was running wild with possibilities. I just wanted all of it to go away. I wanted to never bother Ilina again, because I would definitely ruin her life like she was inadvertently ruining mine. Already, I could see the things that she could do that would enthrall me to her small frame and large eyes. The way that her pale cheeks would darken in embarrassment, the way her body would move when she walked.

A small part of me that hadn't really been activated since Bella's arrival kicked in. I'd always really wondered what it would be like to have Alice and Jasper's bond, Rose and Emmett's, even Esme and Carlisle's. What would it be like to have another person to confide in, to love even more than your family? Would I run from it? Or would I stay, endangering the person? Because I sure as hell wouldn't change them, whether they were Ilina, or Bella, or anyone. It was much too selfish to do.

Jazz walked to the Vanquish, slipping into the seat behind Alice. Rose and Emmett weren't too far behind him, sliding into the back seat with their hands intertwined. Only the slightest twinge of jealousy ran through me; I'd seen it too many times. Besides, they got even more obscene – this was only the beginning.

Jasper couldn't resist asking about my sour mood. "What's got you ticked?" he asked aloud when I didn't answer his mental question.

My hands tightened on the steering wheel. Alice laughed. "Edward's just having problems with the fact that he got away from Bella, but Cupid won't be evaded."

Cupid being evaded is right. I felt like I was on some weird death sentence: if I didn't learn to love, I would die or something equally traumatic. Talk about some weird Beauty and the Beast story. Except for the fact that my Beauty just happened to have no idea that I was a vampire, so it was more like I was a hidden beast. I resisted the urge to snap Alice's head from her shoulders in my annoyance. "Cupid needs to stop playing games before someone gets hurt," I murmured grumpily.

Rosalie was pleased. She wanted out of here. "Fine. Just run her over or something and we'll be good." Her white teeth glinted in the light from the car door.

My foot stomped on the accelerator, shooting out of the parking lot faster than it should have. I didn't care, however. That was a low blow, and Rose knew it. She was having a private laugh in the back seat while the rest of my siblings protested. By the time we'd hit the nearest stoplight, the car was slowed back down. I didn't want to admit that doing what Rosalie suggested would feel like I'd just ripped my heart out of my chest and burned it. "No," I said curtly, trying to restrain my emotion behind a mask.

Alice glowered at Rosalie. "I agree with Edward. Just because you have Emmett and I have Jasper doesn't mean that Edward has to be alone. Be nice, for his sake."

That was the last thing I needed. As soon as the house was in eyesight (granted, my eyesight, not human eyesight), I hit the pedal again, not slowing when I turned into the garage. I wanted to get away from everyone, perhaps hunt a bit, or blast my music so loud that I couldn't hear Rose and Alice's argument. Or maybe I'd run up to Denali. I could probably make it up and back before a half hour was up.

Before I'd even cut the engine, Alice already had my arm, turning and pulling the key for me, and dragging me into the house. There she shoved me into the nearest chair at the dining room table, where we tended to have our debates. "Stay here," she growled menacingly, calling out Esme and Carlisle's names in a normal voice. Of course, my mother and father would be home. Esme was trying to find a job, and Carlisle needed to meet with the hospital later today before he could start working.

They zipped into the dining room quickly, not a hair ruffled or out of place. "What is it?" they asked in unison, smiling at each other afterwards. They were such a couple, and such a cute couple at that.

Alice pulled out chairs for everyone, motioning at them to sit before sitting in her own chair and smiling expectantly at me. I smiled the same way back at her. There was no way that I was going to start this. She was dragging me into this mess; she could explain it.

She sighed. "Fine, Edward," she said, slightly ruffled. "Well, you see, Edward is rather . . . in a predicament. A predicament that we already saw." She paused for dramatic effect, looking around at all of us, ending with a wicked smirk in my direction. "Edward has found another Bella. Except for the fact that she's not Bella. In fact, she and Bella are so far apart from each other, that it's almost adorable." She paused again, letting us comment.

"Stop, Alice," I hissed from under my breath. Not only did I object to this sort of discussion, but she'd just mentioned Bella a few too many times, and it was tearing a hole in my unbeating heart.

Esme squealed. "Another Bella?" She was just happy to hear me in love. Or at least I would be in love. "What's her name?"

"Ilina," I answered halfway unwillingly. Esme was happy about it. She really wouldn't care who it was that I was in love with, as long as I was in love. She was so afraid that I'd been missing that from my genetic makeup.

"Such a lovely name," Esme gushed, smiling. I decided to ignore her before I was distressed and she started to plan a wedding.

Carlisle looked at me expectantly. "Edward, no one has really asked you your opinion. What would you like to do?"

Trust Carlisle to ask me the hardest question! I buried my head in my hands, trying to think. "I . . . don't know."

Emmett interrupted. "Actually, that's not our only predicament." All of us raised our heads in alarm. Emmett's usually cheerful face was drawn slightly, although he had that excited expression on his face like there was something new to hunt. "We have wolves. Quileutes. I could smell the scent sticking around the office. It reeked." Emmett had been there when we'd made the treaty. He knew what the wolves smelled like. I didn't doubt him.

Carlisle looked at ease at this news. "The treaty hasn't been violated. We just can't bite this . . . Ilina." He said her name like he was trying to comprehend something that he'd just been taught. It sounded slightly out of his reach, like he was chasing after it and failing.

I nodded. "Whatever happens, we're not biting her," I said protectively, cringing at the idea. Her delicate features, twisted into a mask of pain . . .

Jazz interrupted. "What did Alice see anyways? I'm guessing that's what brought it up?" He was genuinely curious, trying to figure out why I was freaking out so badly. His calming aura was working for now, but as soon as I would get out of the car and go to Diaz's, I would become panicked again.

Alice smiled sweetly. "Edward was getting in some time, that's all. Lip locked, that's what he was."

I glared.

Jasper pondered that. "What if she forced it on him? I mean, it could just be some weird coincidence."

I shook my head. "I already thought of that."

Alice grinned wickedly. "He looks like he's having too much fun to break away, whether she forced it on him. Besides, she doesn't seem to be that sort of girl. I mean, she kept a pretty healthy distance away from us earlier. Not enough to be rude, but a fair distance."

Emmett clapped me on the shoulder. "Congrats. Try not to kill off this one." Would everyone stop making all of the Bella references?!? My head was going to explode, not to mention that my heart was going to be a giant black hole pretty soon.

"I'll try not to," I said scathingly, shrugging off his hand.

Rosalie pouted, her lower lip sticking out slightly. "I think we should just move."

I growled involuntarily. The sound just ripped itself from my throat. Esme smiled proudly. Carlisle chortled. "Edward, do what you will. Just . . . keep us updated, okay?"

I nodded, scooping up the keys to my Vanquish. I think I'd just made up my mind.

* * *

**A/N: Woah! While I was gone, got a whole new layout! I'm trying to find my way around it! Anyways, for the NaNoWriMo thing . . . I did it! 50,000 words done in 25 days. It was pretty awesome. I feel awesome.**

**Yeah, this is a big Edward one. I think I'm going to have pretty big ones coming up, so we might not have a numerous points of view. I tried to stay in character with everyone, but since I haven't read it in a while, I'm kinda guessing. I did just see the movie though. Not bad, although it definitely could have been better.**

**Thank you to everyone who has been reading and reviewing! Now go talk to teh Melody by clicking on the purple button and making me explode with snacky happiness!**


	7. Wolf Grins

**Chapter Seven – Wolf Grins**

**Embry –**

I'd taken the lead for a few seconds, but after a couple steps, it was obvious that I didn't have a clue where I was going. Beki gave me a smile, stepping in front of me with an embarrassed chuckle, leading Seth and I to get some food. Food was good. And I definitely needed it. Despite the fact that I'd had a healthy breakfast this morning (it was obvious we weren't going to get to school on time; we'd kind of stalled after that), I felt like I could eat an entire cow. Hunger gnawed at my stomach like some sort of monster attempting to claw its way out of my abdomen.

Beki led us to a line that had been enormous when we'd been let out of class, but was now rather short. I remarked about this, and Beki laughed. "That's what happens when you're ten minutes late for lunch," she said, throwing Seth and I a teasing smile.

The younger Clearwater laughed. "Yeah, totally." He looked just as hungry as I did. Actually, his was to the point where I thought that he might throw up if he didn't get some food soon. I didn't know whether that was possible, but by Seth's expression, I guessed that anything could happen.

She ran a hand through her hair, brandishing her other hand at the counter. "There you go."

I smiled brightly, flashing my best grin at the girl. "Thanks. Hey, you wanna meet up later? I mean, we can go . . ." my mind came up blank. I wasn't from around here, I now remembered this.

Beki took this in stride. "Why don't I show you around town later? You can pick where we go next time," she suggested, her eyes sparkling behind her glasses.

I nodded gratefully. "Right," I said, chuckling at myself. I was so weird. I had to call Jake later and tell him about this.

She waved slightly as she walked away, smiling as she did so. I waved back, as did Seth, before turning to the food counter. With desperation, I asked the lady at the counter, "How much can you buy with a twenty?"

**

* * *

**

Jacob –

"Quil, I can't take much more of this," I said, holding the phone to my ear. I really couldn't stand much more of this.

"It's only a little longer, Jake. You're just waiting for Charlie to get back on his feet so that he'll stop bothering Billy. Until then, you're welcome to stay at my house," he offered, making me snort with laughter.

"Yeah, right. Like Dad would seriously let me out of his sights for that long." I ran a hand through my long hair, shaking it out wearily. "I mean, you'd think that Bella Swan was his long lost daughter by the way he's mourning over her death. I knew that he'd be upset, because Rachel and Rebecca used to play with her and everything, but I didn't expect this level of . . . grief." I'd struggled for the word, but it was obvious; this was grief of the strictest kind.

I could see Quil shaking his head even as I heard the sigh over the phone. "Just wait until Charlie gets over it. He'll be fine then, Jake. I promise."

I got ready to hang up the phone. "Yeah, well Charlie's not getting over it anytime soon. I mean, he apparently moped over Bella's mom leaving for over a year until he got over it. He's not getting over his daughter anytime soon." I glanced at the giant pile of homework that was waiting for me. "Gotta go. Homework calls, and I've gotta finish it before Dad gets home."

Quil laughed. "Yeah, I'd better do the same. Call Embry once he gets out of school, okay? I'm sure that he can help."

I sighed, thinking about my lost friend. "Right. Take care."

"You too, Jake."

With slightly more depression than I was in when I'd gotten on the phone, I cut off the line, unplugging the phone from the wall. I didn't want any more calls. Especially no more about Isabella Swan.

* * *

**A/N: Really short chapter, but Ilina/Sarah's is going to be long next time, so I didn't want to get into that. **

**I just realized that I didn't thank my reviewers last time! I'm such a terrible hostess!!!! So, thank you everyone that reviewed, especially Trixy! That's one of the best compliments that I've gotten on any of my fanfictions, due to the fact that I joined not too long ago! But I'm glad that you all still like it!**

**Yeah, so review and watch me explode in snacky happiness!**


	8. Ridiculous Accusations

**Chapter Eight – Ridiculous Accusations**

**Ilina – **

I couldn't comprehend what Sarah was trying to say. Stay away from Edward? Why? I mean, I wasn't getting attached or anything . . . I was just . . . fascinated. He was so different. It was like he was my test subject and I was a scientist or something. I wanted to find out everything about him. Something in him just enthralled me.

I swallowed the bite of sandwich that I'd had in my mouth, pondering over Sarah's argument. He was nice enough and everything. It just . . . didn't make sense.

Sarah sat back against the wall with me, staring at me. "Seriously, Ils. I don't know what it is that Sam has against them, but he says that they're bad news. You said that his last name was Cullen, right? Sam totally flipped out when he heard that. He cares about you too, and you know that. He thinks of himself as your cousin too. Come on, Ils, think of it with reason. Sam wouldn't do something like that without reasoning, right?"

Of course she was right. And I trusted Sam. But what they were asking me to do . . . it was like ripping my heart from my chest for some reason. I couldn't even think of doing it. "Sarah . . . I know that you and Sam really care. But . . . I don't think that Edward's really all that bad. Perhaps you guys are overreacting a little? Just a bit?"

She was already shaking her head before I was finished. "Ilina, let's look at it this way. He's incredibly gorgeous, correct?"

Well, she had to put it that way, didn't she? "Yes, he is," I affirmed apathetically. What did this have to do with anything?

She glanced at me lazily. "Nice guy with incredibly good looks. Remember what we learned about guys being too good to be true. And you seem to have struck it off well with him, which implies that he's either friendly or you're rather intrusive and he doesn't mind." She ignored my protests at this point, pressing a finger against my lips. "I mean, he is too good to be true. Which means that he's most likely a rapist or something." I stared at her wordlessly until she spoke again. "Sex offender! That's what I was thinking of! I'm thinking that Edward Cullen is a sex offender, darling. And you just happen to be little and adorable and manage to be so naïve at the same time."

I gasped at her accusations. "What?!?!"

"It makes sense! Think about it, Ils! What else would he be?"

I thought this through, finally gasping. "Oh my god, you're right." It made sense! I couldn't see how I hadn't thought of this before!

**

* * *

**

Edward –

As everyone loaded into the car (minus the parents, of course), I searched nearby for any thoughts that were out of the ordinary. There were a few, but nothing very interesting until I started the car and drove almost halfway to the school. Ilina, Beki, and the girl named Sarah that had been around earlier, were all sitting in the glass lounge, which wasn't the surprising part. Sarah felt like a genius. She'd convinced Ilina that I was a . . . What?

**

* * *

**

Beki –

"Wow, Sarah. Interesting theory there," I remarked. Of course it made sense . . . if you were convinced that was how it was. She'd somehow convinced Ilina of it too. How she'd done it . . . I would never know. I'd have to talk to Ilina before she was in a class with Edward. This theory would most likely ruin both his reputation and her view of him.

"I know! Anyways, who are the new kids?" she asked, smiling at me like I had some sort of secret.

I looked down. "Seth and Embry."

Ilina laughed. "Hey Sarah, you managed to get some names right for once!"

Sarah grinned proudly. "I know! How amazing!"

Ilina glanced at me. "So, which one is better?" I knew what she was talking about. Ilina could tell by just looking that I'd found someone that was . . . intriguing. She just didn't know which one. She wasn't a mind reader.

"Embry," I muttered, my cheeks darkening.

She smiled. "How cute. What's he like, hun?" She ran a hand through her dark hair, leaning forward.

I smiled in embarrassment. "He's . . . nice, of course. He's pretty funny too. And his looks!" I gasped aloud. "Russet skin and dark hair. Gorgeous. He's got the makings of a male model."

She laughed. "Don't tell Sarah that," she muttered, too low for our friend to hear.

I snickered, but didn't trust myself to respond. "Hey . . . what time is it?" I asked, changing the subject quickly.

Sarah looked at the clock on the wall. "Five minutes left of lunch. Why?" I never asked for the time. Nine times out of ten, I was late for fourth period.

I stared at Ilina, hoping that she'd comprehend the unspoken message that was shining in my eyes . . . or at least I hoped was shining in my eyes. "Will you show me where Diaz's classroom is? I need to find out before next semester, and you've been playing tour guide all day."

She gave me a dazzling smile. "Of course." I stood, holding out my hand to help her up. She took it, and then walked over to Sarah. "Go to fourth when you're done with the Goldfish," she teased, pecking the girl on the top of the head with her lips. "See you after school!"

Sarah waved at us as we walked into the office hallway. I glanced down at Ilina. "Where were the others today?" Usually we had a large group for lunch, but today it had been just us. It was a rare occasion.

Ilina smiled. "Erica was finishing up a test in Rosenberg's, and then they were going to study for a project or something. They're all in the School of the Arts, remember?"

I nodded. "Anyways, don't tell me you believe Sarah about the whole . . . sex offender thing, do you?"

She darkened a few shades. "I started to . . . but he just doesn't seem that type."

I shook my head. "He definitely doesn't. He seems too anti-social to be a sex offender, or even a player." I paused. "Besides, isn't a sex offender someone who has sex with a minor? You both would be minors."

She laughed. "I know. She didn't pick the best wording. But it's good to hear that I'm not the only person who's going to stand up for him." She gave me a quick hug around the waist (I sort of towered over her . . . I'm kind of tall and she's pretty short) before motioning to Diaz's classroom. "And this is Diaz's."

Edward had good timing; if he'd only come a couple seconds earlier, he would have heard our ridiculous topic, and then it just wouldn't have ended well. "Thank you, Ilina." His eyes were reserved, despite the fact that he hadn't heard our conversation. It was so odd. It was like he'd already heard it.

She smiled. "It's not a problem, Edward. I'll . . ." The bell interrupted whatever she was going to say next. She turned to me. "See you," she said, waving her hand for me to whisk away. I departed from her company. It was the last thing that they needed; my interference.

* * *

**A/N: It's been a while, hasn't it, darlings? I've seriously been at a writer's block, and I hate this chapter because it feels like I b. my way through it. Dx **

**On one hand, I love the idea of Edward as a sex offender, just because everyone is so in love with him. xD Take that, Edward Cullen! . . . Not that I'm not in love with you too. xD**

**So . . . yeah. I have the next chapter planned out, so be waiting!**

**Rica-chan: That last one was REALLY extremely short, but it set the scene for something, and I didn't want to put filler in with good stuff. How's the DN fanfic coming along?**

**That was my only response. -cries- How about if you guys send me 3 reviews? I'll seriously explode with snacky happiness.**


	9. Expelling Ridiculous Accusations

**Chapter 9 – Expelling Irrational Thoughts**

**Ilina – **

Suddenly, as he stood in front of me, I realized that Sarah couldn't have been right. How could this man, standing right in front of me, be capable of a crime? I smiled at him, taking in his amber eyes again, his caramel-colored hair slightly tousled from his hand as he ran his pale hand through it, and his slightly reticent look. I tilted my head slightly, confused. "Is everything alright?"

The aloof look vanished from his face to be replaced by one that was even more confusing – relief. God, he was confusing me! "Yes, I'm fine." He pointed at the teacher, who had just come in. "Is that Mr. Diaz?"

I glanced over. "Yes. That's Diaz . . ." My voice trailed off, knowing that he'd probably want to speak to Diaz, since he was a new student and all, and I should probably be getting to my seat behind Karina and her very curly, bouncy hair. Almost mechanically, I bowed to him before taking my seat.

Edward looked a little shocked – I was abandoning him - but he went over to Diaz of his own prerogative and started chatting amicably with the teacher. It looked like he got along with my least favorite teacher better than I did. Lazily, I got my pencils and paper out of my bag, knowing that he'd have at least one stupid warm-up to do.

Mr. Diaz finally moved the remote from the way of the projector, allowing me to start the warm-up early. Needless to say, I finished in a matter of seconds. His warm-ups were usually nothing more than a personal question about our preferences on religion. After all, this was Values and Beliefs.

Edward took an empty seat on the other side of the classroom again, much to my annoyance, and immediately went to scribbling something down on a piece of paper that he'd gotten from his bag. The more I stared at him, the more I realized that there was something different about him. He seemed much too quiet, and barely out-of-place in the classroom, as if he'd rather be outside, despite the fact that it was a dreary, overcast day. He seemed not to notice the stares of the girls in the class as he nonchalantly wrote on the paper. His handwriting was so fast – even faster than mine was, and it tended to look like an untidy scrawl in response. I'd seen his handwriting in Spanish – it was flawless, like he'd taken calligraphy classes. I had to admit, there was something odd about Edward Cullen.

Like normal, I barely paid attention in class, wandering off in my own thoughts and feeling chagrined when Diaz asked everyone to turn in their notes. Karina took pity on me, showing me hers to copy before I handed them both into the basket. The bell rang after what seemed like hours in my head, and I jumped up excitedly. Finally, a not-quite-so-boring class, but only because I sat next to Beki, and we'd pass notes in there.

I glanced over at Edward. His belongings were already neatly stored in his bag, slinging it over his shoulder and walking over to me. I put on a smile as I packed my folder in my backpack. "How'd you like Diaz's class?" I asked warmly. His mouth formed something between a frown and a grin, and I laughed at the ridiculous expression. "Don't worry; we all think that about the class. We're all doomed when Finals come around." Luckily, that wasn't for another eight months.

Edward chuckled, a warm, low noise deep in his throat. "I bet. Do you know where Mr. Rosenberg's class is now?" His pronunciation was excellent – not a stumble over the name. I shoved that to the back of my brain.

"Mhmm . . . Yeah, it's down in the Arts hallway . . ." I paused for a second, thinking about who could possibly take him there. My class was just across the hall – his was halfway across the school. We walked out of the classroom together before I finally caught sight of April and Erica, chatting happily. They were Arts students – they knew where Rosenberg's class was. I even thought that Erica had him this period. "Hey! Guys!" I called out.

Erica turned around. "Ilina? What's up? Isn't Chylek's . . ." She pointed down the hall.

I nodded. "Edward's a new student here – could you show him to Rosenberg's? I don't think I have enough time to run all the way there and still make it back." I smiled when Erica nodded enthusiastically. "Thanks." I pecked her cheek, throwing an arm around my cousin, April, and stepped back to introduce them. "Edward, this is Erica and April. They'll show you around."

He nodded slowly. "Right. And . . . thanks again, Ilina." His eyes were liquid gold as he said this, almost making my bones melt. Maybe Sarah was right – maybe I was developing a small crush on him. I didn't quite know. Biting my lip, I smiled.

"Not a problem. I'll . . . see you around."

He nodded and smiled as he departed with my cousin and friend, making me more confused than ever. What was going on with me?

I stepped into Ms. Chylek's classroom, taking my seat across the room next to Beki. She engulfed me in a hug before backing away. "How was V and B?"

I wrinkled my nose. "As boring as ever. Well, sort of. I don't know. I thought about Edward the entire time," I admitted, knowing that I was probably flushed. "But . . . he's so different. It's like . . . he's got all of these things inside of him, and nothing comes out. He's like . . . a black, anti-social abyss." Actually, he was much more attractive than a black, anti-social abyss, but we weren't going there.

"I thought he spoke to you?" Beki's eyebrows were furrowed as she got out notepaper. The bell would be ringing anytime now, and we wouldn't be able to talk aloud when it did. She passed it to me, and I scrawled messily on it.

'_He does. But . . . he seems sort of . . . out of place. You know? Like he's usually ignored and such? And he ignores all of the girls, even though they stare at him.'_

Beki pursed her lips, looking at me. _**'Maybe he's got a girlfriend back in Washington. That's where he's from, right? I didn't really listen well when he was introducing himself in Lit.'**_ Her neat handwriting put mine to shame as I read the note.

'_That's what I thought, until I realized that he was ignoring everyone. The only people I've seen him talk to are the teachers and us.'_ He wasn't differing between guys and girls or anything.

'_**Ah, Edward Cullen, the new mystery. And Inspector Ilina's on the case. This'll be cracked in no time,'**_ she teased. I laughed.

'_You bet. His secret will be my knowledge pretty soon. Just you watch.'_

Beki looked a little troubled with that statement. _**'Just . . . don't get too nosy. Sam said to stay away – and he cares about us like he cares about Sarah. Don't get hurt because of this, Ilina.'**_

I nodded. _'Got it, Beki-chan.'_ I skipped a line before I went back onto our regularly-cheerful notes. 'おげんきですか_?'_ [Translation – How are you?]

She grinned, impressed with how quickly I was learning from her, and quickly scribbled back until class was over.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I was waiting for three comments, only obtained two, and was sort of disappointed by that, so I didn't write any more. So, you can thank those two people for saving the fanfic. I love you both. xD**

**Yes, this is the last filler-chapter for a little bit. Next one is real plot. It makes me happy.**

**Tell me what is going on! What do you think? Click the beautiful little button down there!**


	10. You're A What?

**Chapter 10 – You're A What?**

**Ilina – **

Sarah drove me home after school, regardless of the fact that it was still technically illegal (her six months weren't up yet), but she didn't seem too worried about it. Besides, she knew that my mom was still a mess after Dad's death a few years ago, and she'd just bought some more liquor yesterday. It was kind of a race to get home.

She dropped me off in front of my house, waving as I got out of the car. We hadn't spoken about Edward for the whole trip, so I hadn't told her that I didn't believe her theory, but I could do that tomorrow. Outside, the cloud cover merely dampened my mood, as well as the fact that I could practically smell the alcohol from outside the front door. Mom had been drinking again.

I unlocked the front door, gagging at the scent of the wine that hit me as I stepped inside. I covered my nose as I closed the door behind me. She was sprawled across the couch, the bottle slipping from her hand as she slept through the soap opera that was on. I scoured the house for any other discarded wine bottles and found none. She hadn't drank herself to death yet. I took the mostly empty bottle from her fragile hand, corking it again and stashing it in the trash can outside. I took the rest of her stash and threw it away as well. She'd be angry in the morning, but I couldn't stand worrying about her getting alcohol poisoning.

I cleared off the table, putting the dishes that she'd used this morning in the sink to wash later before starting my history homework that was due tomorrow. I breezed through it quickly, so I started to think about Edward again as I started to prepare dinner. I made it for one – Mom didn't look like she was going to be awake anytime soon – and busied myself with the most difficult thing to cook possible. In the end, it didn't taste great, but I'd managed to take enough time to make it to warrant work until it was time to eat.

I felt exhausted. My eyelids drooped, even though it was only six o'clock. As I walked into my room to boot up the computer, I rubbed at my eyes. Maybe I just needed some caffeine. Besides, if Mom woke up later, she'd want some to ward off the hangover that she'd have. As the machine started up, I turned on the coffeemaker.

Of course, when I returned to my room, I had a visitor.

My mind hadn't even comprehended who it was before I had started screaming. Loudly. A second later, a cold hand was clamped over my mouth, and I was struggling – fighting – with my assailant.

"Ilina!" he said softly but sternly. My limbs dropped as I recognized the voice. His face finally focused in front of me.

"E-Edward?!" Maybe Sarah was right. Maybe he was some sort of . . . rapist or something. "What are you doing here?!" As my shock wore off, suspicion set in. What was he doing here?!

Chagrin showed on his face as he looked down. "I-I have something to tell you. It's a secret though, so you can't tell anyone, okay?" He seemed intent on this as he clasped my wrists with his cold hands. I nodded slightly. Whatever his explanation was, it had better be good.

* * *

**Edward – **

I hadn't meant to startle her like that. She was looking at me with wide and frightened eyes, and I realized that I needed to calm her down before I could do anything else. "Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Her thoughts were racing quickly inside of her head, none of them really comprehendible. Even so, her heart rate was beginning to slow again, her blood not pumping so rapidly through her veins. "I just couldn't tell you this at school because it was too dangerous. No one else can know, okay?" I knew that I was restating this, but since she nodded again, this time looking a little bit surer, I trusted that it would be fine to tell her. "Here, sit down." I guided her over to the desk chair, and she obediently sat.

I took a deep breath, pressing my fingertips together. I'd never really told anyone this . . . how could I start? I pressed my lips together, finally looking at her. She looked more expectant than anything, wondering what had me so riled up. My calm demeanor had been shaken; this at least she could see.

"Ilina, I'm . . . a vampire." Yeah, I went for a more blunt approach. She blinked a couple of times.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm a vampire," I repeated. Her mind was struggling with this.

"Are you _insane_?" I snorted. She questioned my sanity. _I _questioned my sanity. Why had I told her again?

I flicked my hair from my face. "No, actually, I'm not."

"And what makes you think that you're a vampire?" She thought that she was just humoring me with this, like I was insane or something. In the back of her mind, though, she was piecing some of the pieces together.

I grinned. I was going to be cruel. "Well, I can't sleep . . . I drink blood . . . I'm a hundred years old . . . oh yeah, and my heart doesn't beat." That was going to be my trump card – the one thing that she couldn't refute. Humans needed their heartbeats. I could hear hers fluttering inside of her chest.

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Your heart . . . doesn't beat?" she asked slowly.

I walked close to her, placing her hand on my still chest so that she could feel it. "No, it doesn't."

She looked down, her hand still perched over my heart. "You're . . . you're telling the truth. Your heart doesn't beat . . . Does that mean . . . ?" Her mind was piecing it together.

"Yes, I'm a vampire."

'_But . . . is he going to . . .'_

I answered her thoughts quickly, the very idea repulsing me. "No. I'm not going to bite you." I could already see her pretty eyes screwed up in pain, her teeth clenched together tightly . . .

Her eyes widened. I had forgotten that she didn't know that I could hear her thoughts. "Um . . . I read minds too." This sentence was slightly awkward as it came out of my mouth, making me sound more like an awkward teenager than a hundred-year-old vampire. I grimaced – so much for getting better at talking through years of experience.

"So . . . you're really a vampire," she said softly, her hand falling back into her lap. It had been a good idea to make her sit down before telling her. Her face was so much paler than it had been before I'd come, I worried about her health for a moment.

"Yes."

Her lips twitched as she tried to revive her normal spirit. "I guess you won't be wanting dinner then."

* * *

**A/N: Yay! Ilina knows Edward's a vampire now! But how shall she react, I wonder? Actually, I know, but give me your speculation! Do you think she's going to tell Sarah and Beki? Or not? And will she meet the rest of the Cullens? I wonder?**

**I'm thinking of making a new fanfic for Phoenix Wright:Ace Attorney! If you've played the game, tell me - should I or not?**

**Read and review!**


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